A gang leader threatened to use "juju magic" against women and children she trafficked via Heathrow into Europe, where they were forced into prostitution.

Franca Asemota was jailed on Thursday (August 4) for 22 years for her role in exploiting the poor, ill-educated girls, boys and women she helped transport from Nigeria.

The 38-year-old had been convicted at Isleworth Crown Court the previous day of eight counts of conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual exploitation, two counts of trafficking persons outside of the UK for sexual exploitation and two counts of assisting unlawful immigration.

Martin French, head of the NCA's UK Human Trafficking Centre, said: "Franca Asemota and her criminal network took advantage of these vulnerable young women in some of the worst ways possible.

'Promised a better life but sold into slavery'

"They promised them a better life but in reality treated them as nothing more than a commodity to be sold into slavery."

Asemota was described by investigators as the "lynchpin" of a criminal network which targeted teenage girls as young as 13 in remote Nigerian villages, promising them educational work in Europe where they were instead condemned to live as sex slaves.

Franca Asemota was known to some of her victims as 'Auntie Franca'

She and her accomplices ensured their victims' compliance by casting what they said were "juju" curses which would lead to death or injury should they try to escape.

The girls would stay with Asemota - known to some as "Auntie Franca" - in Nigeria before travelling with her to France via Heathrow.

The gang was rumbled when French authorities recognised one of the girls had false documents.

Around 40 girls believed to have been trafficked

She was sent back to the UK, where further checks by Border Force officers prompted a joint investigation by the Home Office's Immigration Enforcement division and the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Asemota was arrested in Benin City, Nigeria, in March 2015 and extradited to the UK in January this year.

Five of her victims testified against her in court, one of whom had been tracked down and rescued from prostitution in Montpellier.

David Davies, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) London reviewing lawyer, said: "Although only five victims have been identified the evidence showed that she facilitated the trafficking of around 40 people, mainly young girls, between August 2011 and May 2012.

"I would like to thank the victims in this case for supporting the prosecution and giving evidence in court. They have been through a traumatic ordeal and their bravery and courage has helped bring Asemota to justice."

Minister for Vulnerability, Safeguarding and Countering Extremism, Sarah Newton, said: “Modern slavery is an inhuman crime. The victims in this case were manipulated, intimidated and told they could be killed if they tried to alert the authorities.

“The UK has taken world leading action through the Modern Slavery Act. Prosecutions for modern slavery offences are rising and there was a 40% increase in the number of victims identified in 2015.

“But we must not stop there. That is why the Prime Minister has set up the first ever government taskforce on modern slavery, pledged more than £33 million in funding to help victims from countries including Nigeria, and established a Child Trafficking Protection Fund.

“As this case demonstrates, the criminals behind this evil trade will be caught and face significant sentences.”